Space weather refers to varying conditions within outer space, for example, our solar system, and may include phenomena such as, for example, solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic storms. Space weather is different from the terrestrial weather that occurs in the Earth's atmosphere (such as the troposphere and stratosphere).
In the mid to late 20th century as well as today, the importance of space weather has increased because of the many military, commercial and scientific systems and vehicles that can be affected, adversely or otherwise, by space weather. Such systems can include earth orbital unmanned space craft including, for example, communications satellites systems, weather satellites and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites as well as manned space craft including, for example, the International Space Station. Space weather phenomena can pose a threat to such spacecrafts by, for example, interfering with or damaging the communication signals with the spacecraft, interfering with or damaging the operation of equipment in the spacecraft or, with manned space craft, having an adverse biological or medical affect on the human inhabitants of the spacecraft. Space weather phenomena can also have a deleterious effect on electrical equipment on earth such as radar and long distance transmission lines as well as result in radiation exposure to passengers and crew of aircraft within the atmosphere, especially those traveling via the polar routes.
Some space weather events can have an effect of other space weather events. For example, space weather can be affected by solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) carried by the solar wind plasma and coronal mass ejections and the accompanying shock waves may compress the magnetosphere, trigger geomagnetic storms and accelerate solar energetic particles (SEP). The latter, accelerated by coronal mass ejections or solar flares, can damage spacecraft electronics and threaten the health of astronauts onboard.
Current means of monitoring space weather activity, such as blogs, can be difficult, if not impossible to search as well as problematic to describe and track a chain of related space weather events.
There is a need for cataloging space weather phenomenon and events, disseminating forecasts and notifying and archiving event-focused information including linkages, relationships and cause-and-effects between space weather phenomena events and activity.